


You Ought To Have It

by Chocolatepot



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, Middle Ages, Pre-Relationship, kingship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 22:05:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13645359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocolatepot/pseuds/Chocolatepot
Summary: Aedward was only barely a king, but Aldwyn would follow him anyway.





	You Ought To Have It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The_Plaid_Slytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Plaid_Slytherin/gifts).



> This prompt deserves to be an entire novel! Which you may get out of me one of these days, because I am a diehard Aldwyn/Aedward shipper now.

Aedward was only barely a king. There had been a little over a week between his father’s death and the rout from the castle: no time for a coronation, and with the war going on it made more sense to keep fighting than to stop and have everyone pledge their fealty. Sir Aldwyn still thought of him as his lord, though they traveled together on identical broken-down nags and slept side by side under the stars.

Before the battle, he had been brash, boasting and laughing with men of many ranks in his army (all the more remarkable because his father had been dour, known for strictly observing differences in status). Aedward had sworn to take them to victory – and it all ended in their blood spilled on the banks of the Lee, their grey bodies strewn over the ground, and their clouded eyes staring up into the sun. Aldwyn sometimes dreamed of them, as they were in life and in death, and occasionally a grim state between the two.

The pair were a day’s ride into the neighboring kingdom of Heddria when they came to the hillfort at the meeting of the rivers Donmur and Ers. “Who passes?” the sentinel called down to them in a deeply suspicious ton, most likely due to the stains and filth on their tunics.

“Two travelers, looking for shelter,” Aedward returned after a moment, hoarsely. “We seek only a place to rest in safety.”

There was some consultation on the wall, and then they were allowed in. The lord of the fort was clearly anxious to make certain that they were not deserters who’d fled from the war in order to seek new plunder, but a short interview with Aldwyn soothed his fears, and the pair were given a sparse meal and eventually shown to a chamber with one bed.

“I will sleep in front of the door, my lord,” said Aldwyn as soon as they were alone. “Perhaps we were followed, or some word has been sent …” He started to arrange his bedroll on the ground when Aedward’s voice stopped him.

“I’m not your lord, Sir Aldwyn.”

“My – lord?”

“I’ve lost my kingdom and my title. By anyone’s standards, I am nothing. You shouldn’t treat me any differently than any of your comrades – than any of your men, in all honesty.” He sank down on the bed, his head in his hands, and Aldwyn had no idea what to say. “I’ve disgraced myself and my father’s memory, and I do not want to drag you down any further with me. When we wake tomorrow, I will continue on alone, and you should go back to your manor.”

“My lord –”

“Aldwyn, don’t!” Aedward looked up, his eyes bleary, and the words Aldwyn had been about to say died on his lips. “There is no point.”

A long pause followed, during which Aldwyn tried several different lines of comfort and discarded them all. In the end, he picked up his pack and came to sit beside the young man on the bed. “I have something for you,” he said, deliberately omitting the title. Aedward did not fully look at him, but turned his head slightly. The gift was at the bottom of the bag, and Aldwyn had to use both hands to pull it out: a tarnished silver circlet, hammered flat and studded with sapphires and pearls. Aedward stilled. “Of course, you cannot wear it, but it may come in useful.”

“It was left behind on purpose,” said Aedward with an emphasis on the last two words.

“Yes. But I had second thoughts.” Aldwyn set the crown on Aedward’s knees. “You ought to have it, not that usurper.”

No more words were needed. Aldwyn could see that Aedward did not agree with him yet, but there was time to bring him around, time to make him perceive the qualities within himself that Aldwyn did. Slipping off the bed to kneel at his feet, Aldwyn took Aedward’s hands and pressed his own forehead to them, waiting until he felt a slight returning pressure, and then falling back to sit on his heels.

“Now then, my lord, I think you should sleep while I –”

“We will share the bed, Sir Aldwyn, as our host intended.” Aedward’s voice was firmer, though there was a slight tremor to it, and Aldwyn allowed himself a small smile as he began to strip off his boots and leggings.


End file.
